Area of Australia - States and Territories - Geoscience Australia Area of Australia - States and Territories Area of Australia - States and Territories Land areas of States and Territories Australia is the world's sixth largest country , after Russia, Canada, China, the USA, and Brazil. In addition to the mainland, Australia is surrounded by many thousands of small fringing islands and numerous larger ones, which, overall, amount to an area half the size of Tasmania. STATE/TERRITORY 7 692 024 *Australian Capital Territory Calculations on Australia’s area are based on data explained in Geoscience Australia’s GEODATA Coast 100K 2004 page. The data is nationally uniform, is sourced primarily from the 1:100 000 scale National Topographic Map Series and is the most authoritative data source currently available to calculate the area of Australia. Australian Capital Territory and Jervis Bay Territory The Canberra - Yass district was chosen as the site of the new national capital in 1908. An area covering 2358 square kilometres was ceded to the Commonwealth in 1911, forming the Australian Capital Territory.

It was considered that the capital should have its own port and consequently the Jervis Bay Territory was formed in 1915 when land was surrendered to the Commonwealth by New South Wales. Marine areas of States and Territories The marine areas of states and territories are referred to as coastal waters. This is a belt of water between the territorial sea baseline, which usually is the low water line along the coast of the states and the Northern Territory, and a line three nautical miles or 5.5 kilometres seaward from the baseline. STATE/TERRITORY Australian Cities, States and Territories - Tourism Australia Add Share Mainland Australia is the world’s largest island but also the smallest continent. The country is divided into six states and two territories. What are Australia's cities, states and territories? Mainland Australia is the world’s largest island but also the smallest continent. The country is divided into six states and two territories. Australian Capital Territory The Australian Capital Territory (ACT) bounds the national capital of Canberra and is the centre of government.

The Australian Capital Territory is located approximately 290 kilometres (180 miles) south of Sydney, and is home to a number of important national institutions, including Parliament House, the Australian War Memorial and the National Gallery of Australia. New South Wales New South Wales (NSW) is Australia’s oldest and most populous state. New South Wales was originally settled as a penal colony on the shores of Port Jackson where the bustling capital city of Sydney now stands. Sydney is the nation’s largest city and is renowned for its idyllic beaches, great walks and world-class dining. New South Wales is also home to popular attractions including the Blue Mountains and the Hunter Valley wine region. Northern Territory At the top end of Australia lies the Northern Territory (NT). Darwin , on the northern coast, is the capital, and Alice Springs is the principal inland town. Alice Springs is the physical heart of Australia, almost exactly at the nation's geographical centre. The Northern Territory is home to the famous Uluru (Ayers Rock), Kata Tjuta (the Olgas) and Kakadu National Park .

Queensland Queensland (QLD) is Australia’s second-largest state (in size) and is home to the world famous Great Barrier Reef , the world’s most extensive subtropical rainforest and the beautiful Queensland Islands – including the World Heritage-listed Fraser Island . Brisbane is the state’s capital; it enjoys more winter sunshine and warmth than most Australian cities and is perfect for outdoor activities and water sports. South Australia South Australia (SA) sits in the southern central part of the country, and covers some of the most arid parts of the continent. The state’s capital is Adelaide and is a great base for exploring the Barossa wineries, the Flinders Ranges and Kangaroo Island . South Australia has a thriving arts scene and is known as the ‘Festival State’, with more than 500 events and festivals taking place there each year. Tasmania Tasmania (TAS) is separated from mainland Australia by the Bass Strait and is the smallest state in Australia. The capital, Hobart , was founded in 1804 as a penal colony, and is Australia's second oldest capital city after Sydney.

One-fifth of Tasmania is covered by national parks and wilderness – abundant in driving routes and walking trails – and it is one of the world’s most mountainous islands. Victoria Victoria (VIC) is the smallest of the mainland states in size but is home to the country’s second most populated city, Melbourne . Often referred to as the nation’s cultural capital, Melbourne is famed for its graffiti laneways, fashion-forward boutiques and booming café scene. Victorians' enthusiasm for sport is also legendary and this is where Australian Rules football began. The only thing more sacred than the footy is Melbournians love of coffee, and here you’ll find some of Australia’s best flat whites, cappuccinos and piccolo lattes. Western Australia Western Australia (WA) is Australia’s largest state and is a place of true contrasts: from desert in the east to 13,000 kilometres of pristine coastline on the west. The state’s capital is Perth ; the fourth most populous city in Australia and famed for its uncrowded beaches, parklands and fresh seafood. Off the coast of Esperance, in the state’s south, is Middle Island, which is home to the extraordinary pink-coloured Lake Hillier .

Australia also administers Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Christmas Island, the Cocos (or Keeling) Islands, the Coral Sea Islands, Heard and McDonald Islands, Norfolk Island and the Australian Antarctic Territory (covering 42 per cent of the Antarctic continent) as external territories. MORE ARTICLES LIKE THIS Australia States Buy data Donate Updates: Geopolitical Entities, Names, and Codes ( GENC ) treats the island territories as separate countries. It assigns them the codes XA and XAC for Ashmore and Cartier Islands, and XC and XCS for Coral Sea Islands Territory. Due to some confusion at the ISO, there were at least three different versions of ISO 3166-2 Newsletter Number I-6 posted online. They differ in regard to Australia and Tunisia. The correct version has been posted since about 2006-05-09. I mention it in case anyone finds a copy of one of the older versions. Erratum: Under "Territorial extent", under Australian Capital Territory, Jervis Bay should be located on the east coast of New South Wales. New South Wales doesn't have a west coast. Legally, Jervis Bay Territory and Australian Capital Territory are two separate entities.

The Jervis Bay Territory Acceptance Act of 1915 says, "the laws ... in force from time to time in the Australian Capital Territory are, so far as they are applicable to the Territory and are not inconsistent with an Ordinance, in force in the [Jervis Bay] Territory as if the Territory formed part of the Australian Capital Territory." The words "as if ... formed" imply that Jervis Bay Territory does not in fact form part of the Australian Capital Territory. Jervis Bay is so tightly linked to the ACT that people tend to think of it as part of the ACT. Many reference books lump them together, including the CIA World Factbook. Country overview: Conv: Conventional abbreviations. In postal addresses, use all capitals and no period. Zone: Time zone indication (see note below). Population: 2011-08-09 census Time zone note: Lord Howe Island is offset +10:30 from UTC, and advances only 30 minutes in the summer, the only place in the world that does so. A few resort islands in Queensland, and all of Western Australia, have observed daylight saving time in some recent summers.

Broken Hill, New South Wales has sometimes followed South Australian time. Other codes: Australian postal codes are four digits. With a few exceptions, the state can be deduced from the first one or two digits. The exceptions are cases where a city is served from a distribution center in a neighboring state. The Australian telephone numbering system has recently been reformed. Effective in 1997, there are four area codes, each serving a whole state or states. All local telephone numbers are eight digits. This replaces the old system, in which both the city access codes and the local numbers were variable in length. Before the area code, dial 0 from another Australian telephone, or your international access code followed by 61 from other countries. Territories with a blank in this column have a +672 international prefix. The Australian Bureau of Statistics has defined ASGC codes (source [2]). They include codes for several levels of subdivision. The top-level divisions are assigned "S/T" codes (state or territory). This table shows these codes for each of the states and territories: Division Typ: c = country, s = state, t = territory.

Note: in the Typ column, I have used c to denote territories that have their own country code in ISO 3166-1. Further subdivisions: See the Shires of Australia page. There are about 900 units of local government. In different parts of the country, they are called boroughs, cities, district councils, municipalities, shires, or towns. There are also some unincorporated areas. Territorial extent: Australian Capital Territory is completely surrounded by New South Wales. Jervis Bay Territory is situated on the east coast of New South Wales, occupying a peninsula and Bowen Island. Most reference works include it in A.C.T. New South Wales includes Lord Howe Island and nearby Ball's Pyramid. Northern Territory includes Ashmore and Cartier Islands. These islands are referred to as a territory, but they are uninhabited and are administered as part of Northern Territory. I have given them a separate line in the table to be able to show their GEC code. Queensland includes islands in the Torres Strait as far north as the south coast of New Guinea, including Saibai Island, Boigu Island, Talbot Islands, and Bramble Cay, but excluding Bristow Island and Parama Island.

Queensland's eastern border includes the Great Barrier Reef. Tasmania includes Macquarie Island. The dividing line between the islands in the Bass Strait that belong to Victoria and those that belong to Tasmania is the parallel of 39ï¿½ 12' South. Almost all of the islands, as far north as the Hogan Group, thus belong to Tasmania. Boundary Islet is cut by the dividing parallel, and contains the entire 85-meter land boundary between Tasmania and Victoria. Western Australia includes reefs within about 400 km. of the Australian mainland, but not Ashmore and Cartier Islands. Coral Sea Islands Territory includes the islands east of the Great Barrier Reef, west of the meridian of 157ï¿½ East, and between the parallels of 12ï¿½ and 24ï¿½ South. The only settlement in this territory is a weather station on Willis Island. It is administered from Kingston, Norfolk Island. There is no indication in ISO 3166-2 of where this territory is assigned.

The following remote territories of Australia are treated as separate countries by ISO 3166-1, so they are not included here: Cocos (Keeling) Islands; Christmas Island [in the Indian Ocean]; Norfolk Island; and Heard and McDonald Islands. In addition, Australian Antarctic Territory is claimed by Australia but is listed under Antarctica in this book. for Australia lists locations in the country, some of them with their latitudes and longitudes, some with their ISO 3166-2 codes for their subdivisions. This information can be put together to approximate the territorial extent of subdivisions. Origins of names: New South Wales: Named by Captain James Cook for its resemblance to the south coast of Wales. Queensland: Named in honor of Queen Victoria of England. Tasmania: Named for its discoverer, Abel Janszoon Tasman. Victoria: Also named for Queen Victoria of England. Change history: 1901-01-01: Commonwealth of Australia formed by the union of six British colonies: New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, and Western Australia. 1905-11: British New Guinea became an external territory of Australia.

1906-09-01: Name of British New Guinea changed to Papua. 1911-01-01: Northern Territory split from South Australia as a territory. Name of capital of Northern Territory changed from Palmerston to Darwin. Federal Capital Territory (Canberra section) split from New South Wales as a territory. 1914-07-01: Norfolk Island (now listed as a separate country) became a federal territory. 1915: Jervis Bay section (67 sq. km.) transferred from New South Wales to Federal Capital Territory. In fact, it was legally a separate territory from this time forth, but it was so closely linked to Canberra that most people treated them as one. 1921-05-09: New Guinea Territory, consisting of the part of New Guinea Island north of Papua and east of Indonesia (Irian Jaya) and nearby islands, mandated to Australia by the League of Nations. 1927-02-01: Northern Territory split into two territories, North Australia and Central Australia (capital Alice Springs), along the parallel of 20ï¿½ South.

1927-05-09: National capital moved from Melbourne to Canberra. 1931-06-12: North Australia and Central Australia reunited into the territory of Northern Territory. 1931-07-23: Ashmore and Cartier Islands became part of Australia as external territory. 1938: Ashmore and Cartier Islands placed under Northern Territory administration. Name of Federal Capital Territory changed to Australian Capital Territory. 1946-12-13: Australian mandate for New Guinea Territory renewed by the United Nations as a trusteeship. 1969-09-30: Coral Sea Islands Territory became an external territory of Australia. 1975-09-16: Papua and New Guinea Territories became independent. 2004-03-08: ISO changed the Australian state codes in the 3166-2 standard. The new codes come from the Australian standard AS 4212-1994, "Geographic information systems - Data dictionary for transfer of street addressing information".

The former ISO codes, where different from the present ones, were: CT for Australian Capital Territory, NS for New South Wales, QL for Queensland, TS for Tasmania, and VI for Victoria. 2009-11-28: I decided to list Jervis Bay Territory as a separate entity from Australian Capital Territory (former HASC code AU.CT).

Other names of subdivisions: Australian Capital Territory: Territoire de la Capitale Australienne (French); Territï¿½rio da Capital Australiana (Portuguese); Territorio della Capitale Federale (Italian) Coral Sea Islands Territory: Territoire des ï¿½les de la Mer de Corail (French); Territï¿½rio das Ilhas do Mar de Coral (Portuguese); Territorio delle Isole del Mar dei Coralli (Italian) New South Wales: Neusï¿½dwales (German); Nieuw Zuid-Wales (Dutch); Nouvelle-Galles du Sud (French); Nova Gales do Sul (Portuguese); Nueva Gales del Sur (Spanish); Nuovo Galles del Sud (Italian) Northern Territory: Noordelijk Territorium (Dutch); Nordterritorium, Nord-Australien (German); Territoire du Nord (French); Territorio del Nord (Italian); Territorio del Norte (Spanish); Territï¿½rio do Norte (Portuguese) South Australia: Australia del Sur (Spanish); Austrï¿½lia do Sul (Portuguese); Austrï¿½lia Meridional (

Portuguese-variant); Australia Meridionale (Italian); Australie mï¿½ridionale (French); Sï¿½daustralien (German); Zuid-Australiï¿½ (Dutch) Tasmania: Tasmï¿½nia (Portuguese); Tasmanie (French); Tasmaniï¿½ (Dutch); Tasmanien (German) Victoria: Vitï¿½ria (Portuguese) Western Australia: Australia Occidental (Spanish); Austrï¿½lia Ocidental (Portuguese); Australia Occidentale (Italian); Australie occidentale (French); West-Australiï¿½ (Dutch); Westaustralien (German) Population history: Australia Immigration � Australia State Sponsored Visas Please see the following detailed information on each of the 7 states / territories in Australia.

The Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Population 351,200 Area 2,358 sq km The ACT is AustraliaпїЅs smallest state / territory and is home to the nationпїЅs capital пїЅ Canberra. Canberra was established as the capital in 1913, as a compromise between Melbourne and Sydney. The ACT is completely surrounded by New South Wales and is about 150 km from the coast. The Namadgi National Park makes up about 40% of the ACT and the mountains are easily reachable from Canberra, offering skiing and other winter sports. Because of its elevation (650 m) and distance from the coast, the ACT experiences four distinct seasons, unlike many other Australian cities whose climates are moderated by the sea. Summers are hot and dry, while winters can be cold with frost and frequent fog. Canberra is home to the Australian parliament and government, and many tertiary institutions, including the Australian National University, the University of Canberra and the Canberra Institute of Technology. Canberra's unemployment rate is consistently among the lowest in the nation at around 3.0%.

Also, important to note - workers in Canberra enjoy the highest average income in Australia, earning an average of $70,496 in 2009. The Australian and ACT Governments are the major employers in Canberra. Canberra is keen to attract migrants and promotes itself on its proximity to nature while retaining all the amenities of a big city. New South Wales (NSW) Population 7,099,700 Area 809,444 sq km NSW is AustralianпїЅs most populous state and also home to the largest city in Australia, Sydney. The first European settlement in Australia was in New South Wales, hence the stateпїЅs nickname of пїЅThe First StateпїЅ. New South Wales has wonderful scenery incorporating western plains, mountains and coastal views. It is divided into four regions пїЅ the Coastal region which runs from Queensland to Victoria, the Great Dividing Range which is inland and parallel to this, which then leads in to regions of farming land and then further to the dry western areas. New South Wales has more than 780 national parks and reserves covering more than 8% of the state.

These range from alpine reserves to rainforest to outback desert. New South Wales provides some of AustraliaпїЅs most varied leisure pursuits from outdoor activities to opera and theatre. The Sydney Olympics in 2000 propelled the city onto the world stage and have left a rich sporting legacy in New South Wales. Although Sydney is the largest city by far, other major cities include Newcastle, Wollongong, Wagga Wagga and Coffs Harbour. NSW has the largest economy in Australia. Agriculture is still a very important part of the NSW economy although its share of the state's income is smaller than ever before. Sydney is now a major centre for financial services and IT. Pharmaceuticals and biotechnology are also major players in the NSW economy. The average annual income in NSW in 2009 was $63,315. NSW is a major destination in Australia for overseas students and migrants. Sydney is now regarded as the most multi-cultural city in the Asia Pacific region.

Victoria (VIC) Population 5,427,700 Area 237,629 sq km Victoria is the most densely populated state, and has a highly centralised population, with over 70% of Victorians living in Melbourne, the state capital and largest city. Melbourne has had a long rivalry with Sydney, but for many the Victorian capital leads the way in fashion, food and entertainment. Melbourne consistently scores very highly in international surveys as one of the worldпїЅs best cities to live in. Other major cities and towns include Geelong, Bendigo, Ballarat and Mildura. The size of the state is small in Australian terms (roughly the same size as the UK). This leaves most regions and national parks within easy reach, from sandy beaches, to rural countryside, snowfields and forests. Some of the most visited attractions include the Great Ocean Road which runs to the border with South Australia, and the Victorian Alpine Region, part of the Australian Alps. Victoria is the home of Australian Rules Football, with ten of the sixteen clubs of the Australian Football League based in Victoria. The Olympics and Commonwealth Games have both been hosted by Melbourne.

Every year Melbourne hosts the annual Australian Open Tennis and Australian Formula One Grand Prix, ensuring the city remains prominent in the international sports calendar. VictoriaпїЅs main industries are coal, oil, gas, manufacturing and tourism. Agriculture still remain important and Victoria is Australia's largest producer of mutton, lamb, and dairy products. The average Victorian earned $60,722 in 2009. The government of Victoria are keen to attract skilled workers and have an active immigration programme to encourage migrants to settle in Melbourne and regional Victoria. Tasmania (TAS) Tasmania (or Tassie) is AustraliaпїЅs only island state and the most southerly. The capital is Hobart and other major towns include Launceston, Queenstown, Devonport and Burnie. Hobart was founded in 1803 as a penal colony and is Australia's second oldest capital city after Sydney. In 2008, the city had a greater area population of approximately 220,000. Tourists are drawn to some of AustraliaпїЅs most acclaimed restaurants and the oldest theatre in Australia пїЅ the Theatre Royal.

Hobart is internationally famous among the yachting community as the finish of the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race. Tasmania is an island of dramatic coastlines, rugged mountains, spectacular wilderness and sparkling highland lakes. Almost 37% of Tasmania lies in reserves, national parks and World Heritage Sites. Traditional industries in Tasmania include mining, agriculture, forestry and tourism. Indeed, tourism has grown considerably over the last 10 years, thanks to cheaper air fares and improved ferry connections. Tasmania (in particular Hobart) serves as AustraliaпїЅs main link to the Antarctic, which has lead to increased business in the local economy. Hobart has the second deepest natural port in the world. Tasmania is still experiencing a shortage of skilled employees. As of April 2009 Tasmania's unemployment rate was still below the national average. The average annual income for workers in Tasmania was $54,236 in 2009. South Australia (SA) Population 1,622,700 Area 983,482 sq km South Australia, known as the Festival State, lies in the central southern region of the country.

Its state capital, Adelaide, is home to over 1.1 million people and in recent surveys is rated as one of the world's top six cities for its living standards and lifestyle benefits. Other major towns in South Australia include Port Augusta, Mount Gambier, Port Pirie and Whyalla. The state is varied in landscape from the Flinders Range mountains, the Murray River Basin and the dry Outback expanse. The state is world renowned for its wineries. The main wine growing region is in the Barossa Valley, although other valleys include Clare, Coonawarra and McLaren. Manufacturing, mining, defence and aviation are among the main industries. Adelaide benefits from a warm Mediterranean climate and is ranked as one of AustralianпїЅs most affordable capital cities. A busy calendar of more than 400 annual festivals and events dominates the cultural, entertainment and sporting life of the city. Immigration has been a big contributor to South AustraliaпїЅs development over the last 10 years. The rate of population growth is increasing and the unemployment rate is at a near record low. Annual wages in South Australia for 2009 were $58,412.

South Australia has an active immigration programme to attract skilled migrants to Adelaide and other regions. The range of settlement assistance provided by the South Australian government to new migrants is among the most comprehensive of any Australian states. Western Australia (WA) Population 2,236,000 Area 2,645,615 sq km Western Australia is the largest state in Australia, accounting for approximately one third of the Australian continent. Despite this nearly 85 % of the population live in the south west corner of the state, with over 1.6 million people living in Perth. Perth enjoys a warm sunny climate with more hours of sunshine than any other Australian capital city. Western AustraliaпїЅs other major towns include Fremantle, Albany, Broome and Kalgoorlie. The sheer size of the state encompasses huge differences in climate and terrain. Western Australia varies from the south west coastal area to inland desert, to the northern tropical regions. Perth is diverse city with over 30% of its inhabitants born overseas. It is AustraliaпїЅs fourth largest city and therefore offers excellent facilities in entertainment, dining, sport and shopping. Western Australia is widely regarded as the best performing state in the Australian economy.

Its growth rate and GDP rank higher than any other state, and wages are high пїЅ the average salary for 2009 was $67,927. Underpinning the economy are some of the worldпїЅs greatest abundance of natural resources пїЅ oil, gas, iron and nickel to name a few. The huge growth in global demand for minerals and petroleum, especially from China and Japan, has ensured economic growth above the national average. Long term contracts are in place for export of these resources, ensuring future economic growth. The economic growth in Western Australia has lead to a huge demand for workers from overseas and interstate. The state government promotes Western Australian heavily for overseas workers and business investors. Northern Territory (NT) Area 1,420,970 sq km The Northern Territory is the most sparsely populated of AustraliaпїЅs states and territories. The state capital Darwin has a population of 120,000 and is an important link between Australian and its Asian neighbours. Other towns in the territory include Alice Springs, Katherine and Tenant Creek. Darwin is one of the fastest growing cities in Australia.

This is linked to its continued expansion in trade with Asia and its development as a port for exports. The Northern Territory is home to some of AustraliaпїЅs greatest outdoor attractions. These include Uluru (Ayers Rock), Kakadu National Park, Kings Canyon and Arnhem Land. The Stuart Highway is the vital link in this territory connecting Darwin to Alice Springs. The average annual salary was $59,987 in 2009. The remoteness of the Northern Territory means it offers many incentives to attract migrants in key occupations. The economy is largely centred on mining, tourism and defence. Queensland (QLD) Area 1,852,642 sq km Queensland is AustraliaпїЅs second largest state and is nicknamed the Sunshine State. Much of the population lies in the south east corner of the state, where the capital Brisbane is also located. Other major towns include Cairns, Townsville, Mackay and Mount Isa. Queensland has many places of natural beauty, including: the Sunshine Coast and the Gold Coast which are home to some of the state's most popular beaches.

Further along the coast, leads to the beautiful Whitsunday Islands and then to the world famous Great Barrier Reef. Queensland is home to some of AustraliaпїЅs most beautiful beaches, reefs, islands, rainforests and National Parks. Brisbane is the third largest city in Australia (after Sydney and Melbourne) and has a population approaching 2 million. The city is famous for its live music scene and offers many other performing arts such as theatre, ballet and opera. Tourism, mining and aerospace are the most important sources of revenue in Queensland. In 2009, the annual average salary in Queensland was $61,464. Queensland is the fastest growing state in Australia, with over 1,500 people moving to the state per week. These include interstate and overseas migrants. The sheer size of the state means that key skills are still badly needed in many regions. Despite the growing population in Brisbane and the south east of the state, the employment market remains buoyant throughout, thanks to the increasing growth of industries such as tourism and mining.

Commonwealth Immigration Consultants Border Lengths - States and Territories - Geoscience Australia Border Lengths - States and Territories Border Lengths - States and Territories State/Territory Source for length calculations: GEODATA Coast 100K 2004 The border length table above lists the land border lengths between Australia's states and territories and also lists coastline lengths. The histories of how Australia's land borders came about are detailed below. Coastline lengths The total coastline length for a state or territory includes both its mainland coastline and the length of all islands in that jurisdiction. The accuracy of the length of coastline depends on the scale of the maps used to make the determination (the table above uses Geoscience Australia's GEODATA Coast 100K 2004 database). However, new technologies now being used will allow coastline length measurement to become more detailed and coastline lengths will be increased. Australia is the sixth largest country in the world and is the only one of the top six completely surrounded by water. The mainland and Tasmania also are surrounded by many thousands of small fringing islands and numerous larger ones. Almost forty per cent of the total coastline length comprises island coastlines.

As an island nation, coastlines play an important role in defining National, State and Territory boundaries. Calculations on Australia's coastline lengths are taken from Geoscience Australia's GEODATA Coast 100K 2004 database. The coastline data is nationally uniform, is sourced primarily from the 1:100 000 scale National Topographic Map Series and is the most authoritative data currently available on the length of the entire Australian coastline and the State and Territory coastlines as described in the Maritime Boundary Definitions . Border histories The definition of where state and territory boundaries lie has been constantly reviewed, sometimes causing great contention. Although most of the boundaries were defined in letters of patent by meridians, determining the physical ground position that corresponds with those meridians has never been easy. Floods, droughts, and frequent lack of supplies were just a few of the challenges dealt with by colonial surveyors. Facing the same harsh conditions as early explorers in Australia, surveyors also had a difficult job to do. Errors in the astronomically determined positions of observatories in Melbourne and Sydney didn't help matters either as surveyors of the time relied heavily on tying their observations back to known coordinate positions.

Given the possibility of discrepancies, border disputes have occurred between several states. Generally speaking, rulings have upheld the position of borders with established physical references or property lines. This is despite the advent of technologies which allow modern surveyors to accurately plot their location as originally described in the letters of patent for the formation of specific states. As a result, few state borders are actually where they were originally intended, or as simple as a straight line marked by a meridian of longitude. A Federation in these Seas is a useful document describing the history of the acquisition of Australia's external territories. Border facts The Australian Capital Territory is the only land-locked state or territory in Australia, and Tasmania the only island state. The Northern Territory is the only jurisdiction which has a shorter mainland coastline than the combined coastline of all its islands. Longest Land border New South Wales has the longest land border of all the states and territories. It adjoins Queensland, South Australia, Victoria, the Australian Capital Territory and Jervis Bay Territory, making a total of 4 635 kilometres. Shortest Land border The Jervis Bay Territory land border with NSW is the shortest at 32 kilometres.

Corners of South Australia 7 892 20 781 A glance at most maps of Australia will tell you something that isn't quite true. The border which runs along the eastern edge of Western Australia is not actually one continuous straight line. The survey of the Western Australian border was first discussed in 1911, but it wasn't until 1922 that an agreement was signed between then Prime Minister W.M. Hughes, the Acting Premier for South Australia, Mr. Bice, and the Premier of Western Australia, Sir James Mitchell. The agreement set out the border as being a line determined by the 129th meridian east longitude. However, the agreement required that the boundary be defined by lines running north and south from independently fixed points at Deakin and Argyle. When survey work began on the South Australia - Northern Territory border in 1963, it was quickly realised that the earlier agreement precluded the possibility of these lines meeting exactly. Precise survey methods confirmed this and in June 1968 two monuments approximately 127 metres apart were erected at the junction of the boundaries.

This ceremony was attended by the respective Surveyors General, H.Comm from Western Australia, H.A. Bailey from South Australia, and P.J. Wells from the Northern Territory. The monuments common to all three jurisdictions was named Surveyor General's Corner at the suggestion of the Director of National Mapping. One interesting piece of trivia is that fewer people have visited this site than have been to the South Pole. Queensland - New South Wales border State/Territory 6 374 13 347 Letters of patent dated 6 June 1859 defined the boundary between Queensland and New South Wales as lying between Point Danger following watersheds and rivers to the line of parallel of 29° south. The survey was carried out between 1863 and 1866 from Point Danger to the Dumaresq River. Performed by Francis Roberts of Queensland and Isiah Rowland of New South Wales, the two were supposed to work together but when a falling out between them occurred, the pair each completed a separate survey. New South Wales records of the survey were destroyed in a fire and both State Governments settled on the Queensland survey.

From 1879 to 1881 the section between the Barwon River and the South Australian border was surveyed at 29° south latitude by George Watson of Queensland, and John B Cameron of New South Wales. The pair battled several floods and a drought to complete the job. The corner marked at the boundaries of Queensland, New South Wales and South Australia bears Cameron's name today. In 2001, modern surveyors retraced the steps of Rowland and Roberts as part of a Centenary of Federation project, and found a 200 metre error. On the surface this may not seem like much to be concerned about, but the error occurs at the point on the New England Highway where the twin towns of Wallangarra (Queensland) and Jennings (New South Wales ) are located. Established in 1885, indications are that the originally intended boundary would put most of Jennings squarely inside Queensland. In an area where loyalty to state-based sporting teams, businesses, and beer is practically religious, declaring one town to actually be in another state is tantamount to heresy according to locals. Public sentiment is that Jennings has always been in New South Wales and always will be.

Victoria - New South Wales border State/Territory 130 2 137 When Victoria was made a colony separate from New South Wales in 1851, there was much discussion about where the border should lie. With natural boundaries being in favour at the time, one proposal was to make the Murrumbidgee River the boundary. After much argument, it was eventually decided to define the border as a bearing from Cape Howe, which is the eastern-most point of Victoria, to the nearest source of the River Murray and from there along the river's course to the border with South Australia. The use of a river as a boundary has caused many arguments and debates between the states. Originally it was thought that doing so would cause less disputes and require less maintenance, but as trade and tariffs became more important in the early days, the Murray also grew in importance as a major trading route. The river has changed it's course in some places over time and because the jurisdiction of New South Wales extends to the southern high bank of the River Murray, this may change the status of some land parcels affected by the river's meandering path.

In 1859, New South Wales claimed the pastoral leases of Pental Island near Swan Hill on the grounds that the island lay to the north of the watercourse of the River Murray. In 1872, the case was decided in Victoria's favour when the Privy council maintained that the main watercourse, being the channel of greatest discharge of the Murray, was to the north of the island. The line of bearing between the start of the River Murray and Cape Howe was explored and marked between 1870 and 1872 by Surveyors Alexander Black and Alexander Allan. In 1984 this line was resurveyed by the Department of Surveying, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, and the section of the border was renamed The Black-Allan line in honour of those first surveyors. Victoria - South Australia border - - After Federation in 1901 it was decided that a seat of government for the new nation should be selected. The new capital would not be selected from existing state capitals to prevent further rivalry, particularly between Melbourne and Sydney. Several possible locations were suggested, including Albury, Armidale, Bombala, Lake George, Orange and Tumut.

In 1903, the House of Representatives initially selected the Bombala region by ballot but a change of government in 1904 favoured Dalgety and when political fortunes reversed again in 1905 the question was thrown open once more. Three areas were considered and visited by parliamentarians in 1906; Dalgety, the Canberra region and Lake George. John Gale, then proprietor of the Queanbeyan Age, pressed the virtues of Canberra in glowing terms while the counter claims of Dalgety were promoted vigorously. Neither the Federal Parliament nor the New South Wales State Government were easily convinced and on 9 October, 1908 a ballot win of six votes selected the Yass-Canberra region to be the location of the national capital. Yass-Canberra was defined as a triangle, with Yass at the top corner, Lake George to the east and the Murrumbidgee to the west. The national capital was known originally as the Federal Capital Territory and was formally transferred from New South Wales on 1 January 1911. Land-locked, the Federal Capital Territory acquired a port when Jervis Bay was transferred from NSW in 1915.

On 29 July 1938, the Federal Capital Territory was officially legislated as the Australian Capital Territory. Related Information Facts About Australia - CountryFactsInc CountryFactsInc Australia is unique for being classified as an island, a country and a continent. An island as it is completely surrounded by water, a country as it is inhabited by one single nation of people and a continent as it sits on it's own continental shelf or plate. At 7,617,930 square kilometers it is the world's smallest continent, sixth largest country or the world's largest island, it is also the flattest continent / country in the world. Australia has a 25,760 kilometer coastline shared between the Coral Sea, The Indian Ocean, the Southern Ocean, The Tasman Sea and the Timor Sea. Australia also has two large bays, the Gulf of Carpentaria to it's north and the Great Australian Bight to it's south. Australia's highest point is Mount Menzies at 3,355 meters high, situated on the Australian Antarctic Territory.

The highest mountain on continental Australia is Mount Kosciuszko at 2,228 meters high, situated along the Great Dividing Range. Australia's longest river is the Murray River, at 2,375 kilometers long. Politically the country is made up of six states and ten territories and is situated in the geographical area known as Oceania. AUSTRALIA'S OLD PARLIAMENT BUILDING & PARLIAMENT HOUSE, CANBERRA The country's capital city is Canberra, a city of 358,000 people which covers an area of 814.2 square kilometers. Canberra is a purpose built capital, which became the home of the Australian Government in 1927. Canberra is located in it's own territory, the 2,358 square kilometer, Australian Capital Territory. The centre of Canberra is situated on the shore of the 183.5 square meter, man made, Lake Burley Griffin, and flanked by the 842 meter high, Mount Aislie and the 770 meter high, Mount Stromlo. The 115 kilometer long, River Molongo, also runs through the city.

The city is the home to most of Australia's national monuments and museums, including the National Library of Australia, where it holds a copy of every book ever published in Australia. Canberra is also the home of the Australian Parliament. The city is served by the inter city Canberra Railway Station and Canberra International Airport. As a whole Australia is renowned for it's vast size and great distances between townships. Because of this Canberra is located many kilometers from it's six state capitals and one territory capital. Shown below are the distances Canberra is from these cities: Adelaide - South Australia - 1,159 kilometers east. Brisbane - Queensland - 1,203 kilometers south west. Darwin - Northern Territory - 3,962 kilometers south east. Hobart - Tasmania - 1,425 kilometers north east. Melbourne - Victoria - 669 kilometers north east. Perth - Western Australia - 3,726 kilometers south east. Sydney - New South Wales - 286 kilometers south west. Image courtesy of Adz, wikimedia commons Australia's largest city is Sydney, a city of 4.6 million people which covers an area of 12,145 square kilometers.

Sydney is the state capital of New South Wales, situated on Australia's east coast. The city is situated on the shore of Sydney Harbour, which is officially known as Port Jackson, which is located on the Tasman Sea, an arm of the Pacific Ocean. The city is flanked by the Blue Mountain Range to it's west and the Hawkesbury River to it's north and lies in an area between the geographical features known as the Cumberland Plain and the Hornsby Plateau. The city is renowned for it's many attractions, such as it's Opera House and Harbour Bridge, but the city is also home to Australia's Royal Botanic Gardens, Australia's oldest university, the University of Sydney, St Andrew's Anglican Cathedral and the world renowned Darling Harbour and Bondi and Manley Beaches. The city is served by the Kingsford Smith International Airport, the Port of Sydney at the historical Botany Bay, the Sydney Central Railway Station, an extensive urban rail network, an extensive ferry network and a 3.6 kilometer loop monorail. Shown above is Sydney's lesser known ANZAC Bridge, with the more famous, Sydney Harbour Bridge in the background.

DESERTS OF AUSTRALIA Australia is the site of some 1,371, 000 square kilometers of desert, a vast area which covers 18% of the country's landmass. Below is a list of Australia's deserts, along with their location and size. The Great Victoria Desert - South Australia - 348,750 sq km. The Great Sandy Desert - Western Australia - 267,250 sq km. The Tanami Desert - Northern Territory - 184,500 sq km. The Simpson Desert - Northern Territory, Queensland & South Australia - 176,500 sq km. The Gibson Desert - Western Australia - 156,000 sq km. The Little Sandy Desert - Western Australia - 111,500 sq km. The Strzeclecki Desert - South Australia, Queensland & New South Wales - 80,250 sq km. The Sturt Stony Desert - South Australia, Queensland & New South Wales - 29,750 sq km. The Tirani Desert - South Australia - 15,250 sq km.

The Pedirka Desert - South Australia - 1,250 sq km. Australia is also home to six hundred and eighty five national parks, the highest number in the world, which between them cover over twenty four million hectares. Australia also has two thousand, seven hundred conservation areas, one hundred and forty five marine protected areas, six island national parks and eleven UNESCO World Heritage Sites. (Showing area, capital city & population) Ashmore and Cartier Islands - 199.45 sq km. - Uninhabited. Australian Antarctic Territory - 5,896,500 sq km. - 1,000 temporary research staff. The Australian Antarctic Territory consists of the nine districts of - Enderby Land, Kemp Land, MacRobertson Land, Princess Elizabeth Land, Kaiser Wilhelm II Land, Queen Mary Land, Wilkes Land, George V Land and Oates Land. Australian Capital Territory - 2,358 sq km. - Canberra. - 351,200. Christmas Island - 149 sq km. - Flying Fish Cove. - 1,998. Cocos Keeling Islands - 14 sq km. - West Island.

- 596. Coral Sea Islands - 780,sq km. Uninhabited. Jervis Bay Territory - 67 sq km. - Vincentia. - 611. Heard and McDonald Islands - 372 sq km. - Uninhabited. Norfolk Island - 34.6 sq km. - Kingston. - 2,141. Northern Territory - 1,420,970 sq km. - Darwin. - 224,800. PRIME MINISTERS OF AUSTRALIA Australia is a constitutional, parliamentary, democracy with a prime minister at it's head and a constitutional monarchy, with Queen Elisabeth II as head of state, who is represented by a governor general. Each Australian State has it's own bicameral parliament, but on a national level, the Australian parliament is a bicameral, federalist, two party system with a seventy six member upper house - The Senate - and a one hundred and fifty member lower house - The House of Representatives. Voting in Australia is compulsory for all citizens over the age of eighteen. The Australian government sit at Parliament House, pictured above, in Canberra.

Canberra is a purpose built capital which is located in it's own independent territory, the Australian Capital Territory, ACT. The government was moved there in 1927. Below is a list of all Australia's prime ministers since the six British, self governing colonies of Australia formed into one nation, leading to the inauguration of the Australian Federation in 1901. Image courtesy of J.J. Harrison, wikimedia commons. Edmund Barton - 1901 - 1903. Australian Capital Territory Facts | About Australia Australian Capital Territory Facts Parliament House Canberra The Australian Capital Territory as the name suggests, is the capital territory of the Commonwealth of Australia. Most Australians shorten the name to the ACT or simply refer to the ACT’s capital city Canberra which is also Australia’s National Capital. Oddly enough, Canberra is Australia’s largest inland city yet the ACT is Australia’s smallest self governing internal territory. The Australian Capital Territory is located wholly within the state of New South Wales. The area of land that makes up the ACT (2,358 square km) was transferred to the Commonwealth by the state of New South Wales in 1911.

Canberra was named the National Capital in 1913 and is located is nearly 300km from Sydney and some 650km from Melbourne. A planned city, Canberra is laid out around an artificial lake, Lake Burley Griffin. The Territory became self-governing in 1989. National government remains its main industry, but private sector employment has expanded and includes production of sophisticated scientific and communications equipment, and computer software. With Canberra being a relatively new and carefully planned city in Australia, some people think it’s a bit on the boring and conservative side and being the nation’s seat of government and politics probably doesn’t help that image. But to the contrary, Canberra is a graceful and industrious city surrounded by a mostly untouched natural environment. And its residents have a nearly utopian approach towards conserving the city’s quality of life. Many of Australia’s treasures can be seen in the ACT and thousands of Australians flock to see them every week throughout the year in the National Art Gallery, National Museum, the National Library, the National Archives and many more.

Facts for students - Australian Capital Territory - FTfs Australian Capital Territory Extra resources Facts for students The Australian Capital Territory (ACT) is situated within New South Wales and is the only completely land-locked Australian state or territory (i.e. does not have a coastline). ACT’s capital city is Canberra, which is also Australia’s national capital. The following information about the Australian Capital Territory can be found below: A printable PDF of the information on this page is available in the right-hand column. The history of the Australian Capital Territory Indigenous history The Ngunnawal people are the original inhabitants of modern-day Canberra. They are thought to have occupied the area for around 21,000 years. The Gundungurra, Ngarigo, Yuin and Wiradjuri people inhabited different locations around the Canberra region. The name Canberra comes from the area’s Aboriginal name meaning ‘meeting place’. It is thought that thousands of people came together in the Canberra area to hunt and enjoy resources and seasonal foods such as the Bogong moth and Yam Daisies. European arrival Joshua John Moore established a station at Acton in 1823, making him the first European settler in the Canberra area.

Moore named his property ‘Canberry’ after the Aboriginal word ‘Kamberra’. In 1901, Australia federated to form the Commonwealth of Australia, and subsequently the Commonwealth Parliament was formed. This meant that Australia would need a capital city where Parliament could meet. A number of locations were suggested as capital city locations, and in 1908 Yass-Canberra was chosen. On 1 January 1911, the Australian Capital Territory was founded. Although the location had been decided, Australia’s capital city still needed a design. An international design competition was launched and the winning design, that of the American architect Walter Burley Griffin and his wife Marion Mahoney Griffin, was chosen from 130 entries. From these plans Canberra grew. In 1927 Old Parliament House was opened and Parliament finally assumed its place in Australia’s capital city. The Australian Capital Territory by numbers The population of the ACT was 387,100 people as at September 2014. (Australian Bureau of Statistics) Approximately 49.5 percent of people in the ACT are male and 50.5 percent are female.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people account for 1.5 percent of the ACT’s total population. The top five ancestries for people in the ACT are: Australian, English, Irish, Scottish and German. The top five languages (other than English) spoken in the ACT are: Mandarin, Vietnamese, Cantonese, Italian and Spanish. The top six countries of birth for people in the ACT are: Australia, England, China, India, New Zealand and Vietnam. The ACT has a total area of only 2,358 km2 which accounts for less than one percent of Australia’s total land mass. Territory flag and emblems Flag The ACT’s flag features Canberra’s Coat of Arms against a yellow background on the right-hand side and the Southern Cross against a blue background on the left-hand side. Coat of Arms In 1927, Mr C R Wylie won a competition to design the Coat of Arms of the City of Canberra. The design was slightly modified before being granted on 7 November 1928. The Coat of Arms features a black and a white swan (to represent the Aboriginal people and the Europeans) supporting a shield.

The shield displays a crown (representing British royalty), a white rose (for the Duke of York), a castle with three towers (for the three branches of Government), a sword, a mace, a portcullis face and a gum tree (representing growth and progress). At the base of the shield is the Latin motto Pro Rege, Lege et Grege which translates to ‘For the Queen, the Law and the People’. Emblems The ACT has two emblems: the faunal emblem and the floral emblem. The faunal emblem of the ACT is the Gang-Gang Cockatoo. It was adopted on 27 February 1997. Canberra is the only city in the whole of Australia where these grey cockatoos live. The floral emblem of the ACT is the Royal Bluebell. It was adopted on 26 May 1982. The Royal Bluebell can be found in the mountainous areas of the ACT. The flower was named after G.G. Wahlenberg who was a Swedish Professor of Botany from Uppsala. Australian Capital Territory attractions The ACT is home to some beautiful, scenic landscape and many culturally and politically significant icons.

Parliament House As the home of Federal Parliament and Australian democracy, Canberra’s Parliament House is an Australian icon. Located on Capital Hill, the impressive building was opened in 1988 by Queen Elizabeth II. Before it opened, Parliament met at Old Parliament House (now the Museum of Australian Democracy) which was opened in 1927. The current Parliament House is made almost entirely of Australian materials including timber (such as Western Australian Jarrah), granite and marble. The architect, Romaldo Giurgola, designed the building so that it is modestly nestled within Capital Hill. People are welcome to walk up the grass ramps to the roof and gaze over the city of Canberra. Every year, more than one million visitors and tourists visit Parliament House to explore the building’s 250,000 square metres and view the extensive Parliament House Art Collection. When Parliament meets, the building has around 5,000 staff in its 4,500 rooms. Namadgi National Park Namadgi National Park, just outside of Canberra, is a part of the National Heritage Listed Australian Alps.

The park is made up of 106,095 hectares of stunning landscapes, accounts for 46 percent of the Australian Capital Territory’s area and provides Canberra with its drinking water. Many important Ngunnawal campsites and spectacular rock art sites, such as the Birrigai Rock Shelter and Yankee Hat Shelter, can be found within the national park’s boundaries. The park is also home to hundreds of species of Australian wildlife such as birds, bats, kangaroos, wallabies, fish and frogs. With 160 km of marked walking tracks, historic homesteads and abundant wildlife and scenery, Namadgi National Park is great for hiking, camping, biking, caving, skydiving, paragliding, picnicking, horse riding and exploring. Australian Capital Territory fast facts The ACT is often called the ‘Nation’s Capital’ or the ‘Bush Capital’. The Lodge is the name of the Australian Prime Minister’s official residence in Canberra. In 1827, James Scullin, the Leader of the Opposition, campaigned against the expensive costs of the building.

When his party won the 1929 election, making him Prime Minister, he stuck to his convictions and refused to move in to the building. Australia’s first Prime Minister was Edmund Barton. Many Prime Ministers have followed him including Robert Menzies, Harold Holt, Gough Whitlam and Robert Hawke. Many talented film stars were born in the ACT including Sigrid Thornton, most well known for her role in ‘The Man from Snowy River’ (1982), and Mia Wasikowska most well known for her role alongside Johnny Depp in ‘Alice in Wonderland’ (2010). Canberra holds many festivals such as the Balloon Spectacular, the National Folk Festival and Floriade. Advertising billboards along the roadside are banned in the ACT, with the exception of bus shelters. While Old Parliament House was intended as a provisional building to house Parliament for only 50 years, the new Parliament House at Capital Hill is intended to house Parliament for 200 years. Canberra is home to The Royal Australian Mint and is responsible for producing all of Australia’s circulating coins. Rare and historical coins can be viewed, as well as the coin making process involving some amazing robots.

In 2013 Canberra celebrated 100 years as the nation’s capital and the home of Parliament. Throughout the year there were many exciting celebrations to mark this exciting event. References The following links will direct you to the homepage of the websites used as references for this topic. Australian Bureau of Statistics:

Question: The territorial area of Canberra is completely surrounded by which Australian State?
Answer: NEW SOUTH WALES